Ghosts of the Past
by Hellcat81
Summary: complete 1x2x1 & WCxSP: It's xmas eve and Heero and Wu Fei have trouble coming into the right spirit. A kick in the right direction is supplied by two ghosts of the past.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Not mine unfortunately. 

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**Ghosts of the past**

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**Prologue**

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Brüssel was covered in a thick layer of snow. The sun was sinking in the western sky and bathed the city in a warm glow. The first Christmas light decorations were switched on and the people deep below him were rushing to buy their last presents for Christmas. 

Each year the same play. 

He was sick of it. 

Why waste precious time when one could do more important things? If they really wanted to spend the day with their family, have a feast and exchange presents why did the people need a special day for it? Why not do it whenever they felt like it? 

Like that it's nothing more than a habit. Because everyone was doing it. 

Nothing special at all. 

When one has lived through two wars and leading a life as a Field Agent one came to value each day. There was no need for him for a special day to be with his family and show them that he cared for them. In his opinion it was obvious. 

His thoughts were disturbed as a distinct outline of a person was reflected next to him in the window. Without turning around he knew it was his field partner. 

"What are you looking at, Heero?" 

"Nothing. Nothing at all." The young man answered and left their office walking past a confused Duo Maxwell. 

*** 

Times like these were annoying him to no end. All day long he had to endure the constant Christmas music over the Preventer communication unit. Everybody was so caught up in their private lives that they totally forgot about doing their work properly which resulted in piles and piles of papers on his desk. It seemed as the gods were against him. Funny though it was only around Christmas like that. People got careless, overly trustful and in the end it was things like these which led to things like the Mariemaia uproar three years ago. 

Wu Fei sighed. He just couldn't understand what was so special about Christmas anyway. Of course each culture had his own traditions but he just didn't tolerate people slacking of with their work with the excuse of Christmas preparations. One has to has priorities and he was a fool to jeopardize their young peace for a week of vacation. He put his pen down and looked to the other desk across the office. Sally wasn't back from her lunch break yet. 

He scowled. 'Probably with Noin chatting about the Christmas party tonight.' 

Speaking of the devil the blonde woman poked her head into their office. "Hey Wu Fei, Noin is asking if you're coming tonight as well." She asked with a smile. 

The Chinese snorted. "No thank you. I have better things to do." 

The smile died on Sally's face and she leaned against the frame thoughtfully. "But what could be more important than spending Christmas Eve together with your friends?" 

For a moment he looked up to her searching her face. Then he looked back at the papers. "Trust me there are things I can't delay any longer. But there will be always next Christmas." 

'I'll be damned if I ever get stuck on one of these annoying parties.' He ignored her and missed so the fleeting look of disappointment on her face. When he looked up again he was alone in the office. 'I'm sorry Sally.' 

*** 

The grand ball room of the National theatre was full with people from all kinds of societies. Beside the Preventer staff one could also meet important business representatives, politicians like Vice Foreign Minister Relena Peacecraft, charity members and so on and on. Each year Lady Une organized a Christmas party were the donations were given to organizations who supported children. This year it seemed to be a full success as well. The ball room was decorated with branches of the fir tree and in the midst was a tall Christmas tree. All in all one could say the whole room had a festive atmosphere. 

Still Heero wished it would be over already like he did each year. He had never gotten used to social arrangements. He felt comfortable around the other pilots and his other war comrades but in parties like these he usually felt out of place. He wasn't like Duo who had a natural talent to wrap people around his little finger. Right now the baka was talking to Quatre who had started to laugh about something he had said. Even Trowa the tall quiet ex-pilot of Heavyarms quirked an amused smile at Duo's antics. He didn't had Quatre's pleasant character to converse easily with other people not even Trowa's calming presence or Relena's diplomatic skillful dealing with people. 

Heero shook his head. He didn't know why he bothered to make each year an appearance here. Maybe he should do it like Wu Fei and find an excuse to not to be able to attend. Though he doubted the Chinese ever had something else to do he just had a serious dislike against gatherings like this himself. He sighed. Just why was he here in the first place. Definitely not Relena's not all too subtle invitation. His eyes wandered back to his friends. To Duo's hip long braid, Quatre's gentle smile and Trowa's quiet understanding eyes. He knew why he was still here. 

*** 

Wu Fei opened the door of his apartment. He had been working until very late while the others were amusing themselves at the party. The young man slumped exhausted on the couch in the living room. At times like these he wasn't so sure he was doing the right thing. Somewhere along the way after the war he had lost his direction. Sure working as a Preventer gave him something to do and it helped protecting the peace he had fought so hard for. But still there was something missing in his life. During the war he had had a purpose but now were once the wish for justice had claimed a place in his heart was now an empty spot yearning to be filled. The dark haired man shook his head. It was not the time to get into brooding. Wu Fei got up to take a shower. Maybe this and a full hand of good night sleep would make him think clearer. All he could see now were blonde hair and blue eyes. 

*** 

"Hey Heero where are you going? You don't plan on sneaking out on us, or?" 

Heero groaned inwardly he should have known his plan wouldn't work. Somehow nothing escaped the attention of Duo Maxwell. It doesn't matter how busy he was or how many people were around him. 

Heero sighed. "Duo no baka. I'm not sneaking. I'm retreating." 

Duo only shrugged and grinned. "Sneaking, retreating. In the end it's all the same." He latched onto Heero's arm and proceeded to drag him over to Quatre and Trowa. "Wu Fei already escaped me. I'll make sure you're going to stick with us until the bitter end." 

"That doesn't sound very appealing, Duo. Aren't the others enough for you to pester?" Heero had gotten used to Duo's antics a long time ago but just couldn't stop teasing his partner from time to time just for good measure. He needed to keep him on his toes or the braided young man would get unbearable. 

Right now Duo gave him his teary eyed puppy look. "Heero, don't be mean tonight. It's Christmas Eve after all. Or you won't get your present." 

Heero only shrugged. "Actually I don't really care." 

"What?!" The tone in Duo's abrupt question made him search the others eyes and the hurt in them made him regret his thoughtless answer. It wasn't so much that he didn't want Duo's present he just didn't care much about it being on Christmas Eve or not. But for that it was too late now. And of course matters got always worse when he needed it the least. 

Relena Peacecraft made their way through the crowd to greet them or rather him. Duo plastered a smile back on his face but Heero didn't bother. No matter what he did or said Relena's infatuation knew no limits. 

"Good evening Heero." She gave him a pleasant smile and a curt nod to Duo who grimaced behind her back. "Isn't it a wonderful evening? Would you like to dance?" She beamed at him. 

"Actually I was just leaving. Give my greetings to the others. Good evening." He turned and left the ball room not wanting to see the surprised and hurt expression on Duo's face. Some things were simply unavoidable. Though he wished they weren't. 

*** 

In two apartments, each at the other end of the city, reigned silence as two exhausted bodies were claimed by sleep. But unknown to them they were expecting visitors and it promised to be a long night. A very long night. 

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That's the prologue of all in all three chapters and an epilogue. The story will be based loosely on 'A Christmas Carol' and I'll post the remaining chapters the next days. Review if you have any ideas, comments, etc. 


	2. Return to the Past

**Ghosts of the Past**

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**Chapter 1: Return to the Past**

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"Would you just shut up for five seconds and listen to my plan? I have to say something useful at least in comparison to your useless blabbering." A furious voice said to his companion. 

"Ah of course oh graceful goddess, I beg your pardon. Please excuse my foul language I'm nothing than the dirt under your feet." Came the sarcastic reply while making a curtsey to mock the other. 

"Are you making fun of me? Okay. Okay. If you think you don't need my help. Okay. No problem." 

'Uh oh. Maybe I took it a bit too far this time.' 

"Now why don't you just calm down a bit? There's a way for everything." 

"Yeah, excluding us working together. From now on you're on your own. We'll see who's first succeeding with the mission. We'll split up and tomorrow we'll see who's way of working is better." 

"What? That's gotta be a joke. You're kidding, aren't you?" 

"In your dreams. I will prove myself to _him_ and you will see what you have got with your attitude." 

'What's that supposed to mean?' "Are you implying that I don't take missions seriously?" 

"You don't want me to answer that." 

"Hey, I take that as a personal insult." 

The other only shrugged while getting ready for take off. 

"Hey, now wait a second. Which one do I get?" 

*Target locked.* 

"Isn't that obvious?" 

*Countdown running.* 

"Oh no, please. Not that maniac. He's gonna ignore me anyway." 

*5, 4, 3* 

"Well too bad. It wasn't me who made the choice." 

*2,1, START* 

"Waaaaaiiiit!!!!!!" 

But to late. The other was gone in a flash of light. 

"Great. Now I'm stuck with that maniac." 

Heaving a defeated sigh another flash of light was carried to Earth a moment later. 

*** 

The clock flashed 12.00 am on the display. Heero groaned and rolled on his back. 

'Damn. I've been merely asleep for two hours.' Rubbing his tired eyes he stilled instantly as he heard a noise from the kitchen. 

'Fuck. What was that?' Getting up silently from his bed he picked up the gun from the nightstand and tiptoed into the kitchen. Peeking around the corner he almost dropped his gun at what he saw. There at the fridge or better half way in the fridge was a god damn really amazing good hallucination. At least that was the only logical explanation Heero's sleep deprived brain could come up with. Obviously the guy, Heero could see it was definitely a male, was stuffing himself with all kinds of food as well as liters of coke and beer. Unfortunately the nutrition never seemed to reach the stomach much rather plummeted straight onto the floor. 

'What a mess. Thanks God this is just some very abstract dream. Probably thanks to Duo and one of his stories.' Heero shook his head, scratched himself with the gun behind his ear and trudged back to bed. Behind him the sound of choking could be heard and in less than a second he had "the hallucination" screaming at him at the top of his non existent lungs. 

"ARE YOU CRAZY OR WHAT? ANY REASONABLE NORMAL WIRED HUMAN BEING JUST DOESN'T SCRATCH HIMSELF WITH A LOADED GUN ESPECIALLY HIS HEAD! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH????!!!!" 

But Heero being Heero simply climbed back in his bed, turned onto his side and went back to sleep. That might have worked for him but a certain not so alive person saw that very different. 

"Helllloooo?! I was just talking to you. It's very impolite to ignore other people though as long as I knew you, you never struck me as the polite one." He scratched his head. "I don't have much time and I intend on winning this mission so you better work with me here, Yuy." 

Heero's hallucination poked the lump in the bed but when the ex-pilot had some exercise in something than in ignoring persistent persons. 

"Oh, now I understand. You play hard to get. Oh, well how do you like this?" 

In an instant his voice got deeper and had a slightly mechanical speaking manner. 

"Get up boy. I have a mission for you. I expect no mistake. I want you-" 

"I shot J along time ago. So shut up." A muffled voice interrupted him from the bed. 

"Oh you did? Why didn't anybody tell me?" The guy frowned while getting comfortable on Heero's bed. 

"Ah, how about this one?" 

In the next second Heero had Duo Maxwell sitting on his bed chewing his ear off but as quick as lightning "Duo" had a gun showed into his face. 

"SHUT UP, BAKA." 

An audible gulp was heard. 

"Guess we have a lot of work before us." He stood up and positioned himself a couple of meters away from the bed. 'Okay now if this doesn't work I have a real problem.' "Okay buddy, you wished for it." 

In less than a second the loud shrieking of a banshee echoed through Heero's apartment. At least like that it sounded to the ex-pilot. In a flash he was out of the bed and flung himself behind it for cover. 

'Relena? What is she doing here?' He thought almost hysterically if that was possible to achieve for the usually very controlled young man. Then he heard the fits of laughter coming from his bed. Frowning he peered over the edge and came face to face with his hallucination which was currently shaken by fits of laughter. 

'Very funny!' Heero thought sullenly. He stood up and poked carefully that thing into the rips growling. The gun went right through. 

"Hey, cut it out already!" The slightly transparent guy stopped laughing and got off the bed asap. "Hey what did I just told you about handling guns? It's your business if it's your body (or well maybe not since someone will have my head if he's headless) but leave the hell mine alone. It's dead enough already." 

Heero looked at him critically. "Dead like in dead?" He still wasn't really sure if that guy wasn't a sign of being overworked. 

The ghost, Heero's mind figured that's what he had to be, nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah like in deceased, departed, expired well you get my point." He shrugged with a half smile on his lips. 

Heero stared at the young man. At least that's what he appeared to be. He seemed to be around the same age as himself. Caucasian origin, tall, slender, with tousled dirty blonde hair that almost reached to his shoulders and light blue eyes as well as dressed in one would call comfortable clothing. 

"I may be dead but still looking good, ne?!" The ghost flashed him a smile as he struck a pose. Heero rolled his eyes and decided that for now the thing wasn't a threat. He left his gun on his night stand since if it came down to it he wasn't too sure how one could kill someone who was already dead. 

"So what do you want?" Heero asked point blank. 

The ghost looked disappointed. "Hey, can't you at least ask after my name first?" 

Heero heaved a defeated sigh. Somehow that guy reminded him eerily of none other than Duo. He had exactly the same attitude. "Okay, so what is your name?" He asked patiently. 

Promptly the ghost hold him self erect and announced with an air of pride. "I am Solo. Pleased to meet you." He extended his hand but before Heero even had a chance to consider shaking it Solo had withdrawn it smiling somewhat sheepishly. "Ah, forget about it. It's not like it'd work, ya know?" 

Heero raised in eyebrow and Solo showed him what he was talking about. His hands went through the night lamp and through whatever else he touched. "Ya see, it's kinda difficult already to gather enough concentration to sit on your bed but to accumulate enough "force" to connect with human beings is pretty much impossible. I mean I'm not dead that long I still have to learn a lot." 

Heero only grunted. He wasn't really sure he wanted to know what was going to happen to him once he died. Anyway the ghost or Solo still owned him an answer. "Well?" 

Solo looked at him perplexed. "Well what?" 

"Well, why are you here? I rather would like to go back to sleep." 

"Oh that. It's rather important so don't hurry me. Come over here." 

Heero frowned at Solo. "What for?" 

"You'll see. Now get your lazy ass moving already. And there they say you're good at executing orders..." Solo grumbled. 

"Says who?" Asked Heero stepping reluctantly closer to Solo. 

"Ah, never mind." He gave Heero a quick look over. "Hm, maybe a bit dressed too lightly but well you have to deal with it. We have to go now." 

Heero looked up alarmed. 'What is that guy talking about?' "Go where? Are you out of your m...?" But Heero didn't get to finish his sentence as he was engulfed in blue light and vanished from his apartment. Unknown to him the time on the display of his digital clock was still stuck on midnight. 

*** 

Wu Fei tossed and turned in his bed. For all he tried to go to sleep it didn't help all his thoughts returned at one point or another to a certain blonde haired very competent woman: Sally Po. 

The Chinese sighed and sat up on his bed rubbing his eyes. "What a waste of good night sleep. Why does she have to bother me during the night as well? Isn't it enough that that woman pesters me all day long already?" He grumbled tiredly. 

"Well if you would just admit that she kind of wormed her way into your heart the matter would have been solved a long time ago. But no Mr. Stubborn is too stuck up that he can care for another person." 

Wu Fei sighed. "It's not so much admitting that I'm in love with her. I figured that already out shortly after the Mariemaia uproar. It's rather that I have nothing to offer her. Who am I? An ex-gundam pilot who helped establishing peace raving about justice and insulting her half the time while doing it. I'm a lousy excuse for a man." 

He dropped back on his pillow. Silence. Then Wu Fei furrowed his brows. 'What the heck? Did just someone answered my questions?' He sat up quickly glancing around his plainly furnished bed room. Nobody. 

'Christ, I really need to get more sleep. Now I'm starting to hear voices. If Duo ever finds out he'd have a field day.' Just as he settled back down a voice spoke up again. 

"Omg, Chang you grew up!!! This is absolutely unbelievable. I almost had a heart attack. Well if it would have been possible." Muttered the voice. 

It came from the end of his bed. In a flash he had ripped his katana out of his sheath -luckily he still kept it close by while sleeping- and pointed it at the intruder currently crouching at the end of his bed with his arms and head propped up on his comforter. 

Meiran. 

'What the hell?!' Wu Fei closed his eyes and opened them again. He pinched his skin but the image of his dead wife remained in front of him. 'Oh my god those are the first signs of insanity.' He stared horrified at the vision and feverishly hoped he was only dreaming. "What is going on here? Is this one of Maxwell's jokes?" 

Meiran rolled her eyes. "I assure you it's no joke. Though if this Maxwell guy is a nuisance such like his friend I pity you with all my heart." 

Wu Fei dropped the sword and dropped feeling slightly weak on his bed in a sitting position. 

"Are you alright? You look a bit pale around your nose." She asked him with the slightest hint of worry in her voice. 

"What are you talking about? You don't exactly look healthy yourself Meiran." He ground out between his teeth. 

"Well excuse me Captain Obvious, but I'm dead." Meiran jumped up in a huff walking over to the window. 

'Shit.' Wu Fei looked at her strangely. "So you're really here?" 

"Yes." 

"Did you came back to punish me?" He asked quietly. 

That certainly got Meiran's attention. Astonished she turned to him. "What gives you the impression ... I came back to haunt you?" The dark haired woman asked him surprised. 

Wu Fei looked up guilt evident in his dark eyes. "For letting you down. For letting you die. For not saving our colony." He mumbled hanging his head. 

She gave him a deep searching look. Then the young woman walked over to him, got into a crouch and took both of his hands. "Look Wu Fei. This all happened a long time ago. We were both young and foolish and were forced together under unusual circumstances. Our colony was on the break of war and back then I couldn't understand that fighting is not always about pride and honor. The war is a dirty game carried out on the back of innocents. I watched you Wu Fei. Each battle, each death and each lonely night. Believe me you brought justice to us all and for that I'm grateful and very proud of you." She gave the silent man in front of her a tender smile. "But now it's time to let go of the past. You have to appreciate what the present is offering you. Don't let it go because of unjustified insecurities. You're not only making yourself unhappy but Sally as well." 

Wu Fei snorted. "Well then you don't know her pretty well. She's a strong woman, knows what she wants and usually gets what she wants. Why would she want or rather wait for someone like me to come around? Or better why wait? That's not at all like her. She would just frankly declare her love. In a way she's a lot like you." He gave her a small grin. 

Meiran smiled back but got serious again. "Do you really think she'd straight away declare her love to someone she doesn't even know if he appreciates her?" 

Wu Fei groaned at the implied reproach. "What are you trying to tell me? That I need to make the first step?" 

Meiran nodded. "Yes. She has as many insecurities as you. Don't let the facade deceive you. If you want I can show you." 

Wu Fei looked up. "Show me what?" 

Meiran smiled at him. "The real Sally." 

And while Wu Fei slowly nodded they were both swallowed by a glowing red light. 

*** 

"Where the fuck are we?" Heero exclaimed outraged. 

"Geez, calm down man. Looks like Duo is rubbing of on you." 

"Well excuse me. It's in the middle of December and I'm only clad in a pair of pajama pants in the middle of now where or rather a giant junk yard. So care to explain what we're doing here? And how come you know about the baka?" 

Solo turned to him and gave the fuming ex-pilot a cold smirk. "Well for starters this junk yard happened to be the streets of L2 and secondly that certain baka was the only best friend I ever had." 

'Me too.' Heero added silently. When Heero remained silent Solo turned and walked off into the night with Heero having no other option as following the eccentric young man. 'Great now I'm stuck with him. Wonder though where he met Duo. That guy sure rubbed of on the baka. He never mentioned him. Come to think of it Duo talks a lot but never ever actually revealed any explicit details of his past. All he had ever said that he had been part of a street gang having to steal to survive.' Heero mused. He snapped back to attention when they stopped in front of an old battered and burnt building what once would have been a church. "Where are we?" Heero asked curiously. 

Solo glanced over at him. "The Maxwell church." 

The brown haired teen raised an eyebrow. "Maxwell?" He asked confused. 'Was this part of Duo's past?' Heero had already figured out that they were definitely in another time besides him not being able to sense the cold or being seen by anybody else besides Solo was kind of too suspicious. 

"Before I show you this I have to tell you something. I think you already figured out that we're in the past." Heero nodded. "Well then. Duo's been my most faithful friend back when we were running the streets together. It's a dangerous business you know. Usually the mortal enemies of every street kid are the snobby high society, the uncaring politicians and the brutal soldiers. I wonder why he picked you out of all anyway." He studied Heero intently but obviously couldn't find a suitable answer and continued. "Anyway I want to make sure that Duo will be happy and not end up in the gutter again which would be your fault in the end." He pointed angrily his index finger at him. 

'Okay now, that's enough.' "What are you talking about? For once Duo is my best friend as well and he is happy. Just look at him. I don't know what you want." 

Solo shook his head. "Jesus. I know what _you_ want my man and you're either blind or pretty dumb for not seeing the obvious." 

Heero remained silent. Shutting up his inner voices which were eager to listen to Solo's words. He just simply not wanted again to end up in a debate of what could have been. It's simple as that Heero Yuy was not cut out for a relationship. Duo's life was going well and he deserved it. No way he would come and destroy everything with his stupid feelings. His friend was at last happy. He could live with that. It simply had to be enough for him. 

Solo had been watching the other man and obviously didn't like the conclusion Heero came to. "Christ Yuy, you're pitiable. There he has opportunity after opportunity in front of his very eyes and he's doing nothing." He threw up his hands. "God, you know Duo isn't exactly ugly if you understand what I mean." 

"I know." Heero grounded out. Somehow this guy made him feel extremely stupid. Just like Duo but with the baka he knew at least it was unintentionally. 

"So?! Doesn't that tell you anything? What would you do if Duo just suddenly decided to hook up with someone, hm?!" 

"He wouldn't." Heero's reply was quick. 

"And just why would a guy like Duo would want to stay alone forever? It's not exactly in his nature to be alone. He always seeks company in case you haven't noticed yet." Solo said frustrated. 

'Yeah but until now it was my company he seeked and he wouldn't leave because... because he's family. Yes that's it. "He's family. He wouldn't leave us." 

Solo looked sadly at him. "Maybe. Maybe not. The human heart is a mystery. Common let's go. I want to show you something." 

They both trudged through the snow for quite some time and came to a stop in a more agreeable area. Nice little houses with small gardens were lined up at the street. Solo pointed to a house at the right side with bushes at the windows. Heero followed Solo's indication and sucked in his breath as his gaze dropped on a group of children plastered to the window one of them with a ragged braid trailing down the scrawny back. Duo. 

Unconsciously Heero walked closer with Solo trailing behind him. "What are they looking at?" Heero asked Solo. 

"Why don't you have a look yourself?" The other asked instead. 

So Heero positioned himself behind the smaller version of Duo who was probably eight years old at the time and not in the best of shape. None of the children seemed to be in good order. Their clothes were old and worn not at all proper for the current weather and they were way too thin. So what were they looking at? Heero lowered himself and looked inside. It was a dinning room and there were four chairs. The whole family was seated around it having their Christmas meal. The room was decorated nicely and it was probably very cozy inside. The eyes of the children followed their every movement. 

But Duo's eyes were different. Heero could see it clearly. Duo wasn't wishing for a cozy house to live in, a big dinner or any of the gifts that were probably piled high under the Christmas tree. Those yearning indigo eyes were only wishing for a mother to put food for him on his plate, a father to ruffle his hair and a sister or a brother to laugh with. A family. Something in Heero's heart ached. And then he was back in his room. In his bed. Alone. 

*** 

"Meiran?" Wu Fei looked around. "Meiran where are you?" He whispered. 

"You don't need to whisper you know." 

"Gahhh!" Wu Fei spun around in surprise. 

"Now that wasn't very manly." She smirked at him. 

"Shut up, woman." 

"Hey, watch it. Or I'm leaving you here." 

"Where are we anyway?" Wu Fei looked around. It was evening but as far as he could distinguish his surroundings it looked like he was in a Chinese back yard. But that wasn't actually possible, was it?! 

"Don't make such a face. Let me fill you in. Right now we are in the past, more explicitly in China. No one will be able to see you, hear you etc. nor can you touch anything or feel the cold for that matter. Understood?" 

Wu Fei nodded wordlessly. It was all a bit much at the moment. 

"Good. Follow me." Meiran led him over to the main house were he could hear the distinct noises of a celebration. Looking through the window they could see a big family celebrating happily Christmas. It didn't surprise him. On Earth they had adapted to the Western tradition a couple of centuries ago already not like on L5 were everything went after the old traditions. 

"It's the Po clan." Meiran interrupted his thoughts. 

"Oh really? Where is Sally?" He didn't so much as glance at Meiran intently searching for a blonde head. 

Meiran smiled sadly. "You won't find her there." 

Wu Fei looked at her startled. "What do you mean 'not there'?" 

"I'll show you." 

One moment they were on the ground the next they were standing on the roof next to a small window which was illuminated by a single candle. A young girl of maybe ten had her arm propped up on the window-ledge drawing with the other snow crystals onto the moisture on the glass. Wu Fei looked at the blonde girl who was singing an old Chinese lullaby for a long time, dreading to ask why. In the end he didn't ask. 

Meiran knew his silent question. 

"They don't want her to be seen because she's a mixed blood. Her father was a British soldier stationed in Hong Kong. Well, he fell in love with her mother. Of course the family didn't approve and outcaste her mother. Both parents died in the British-Chinese war and Sally was dropped of at her only alive remaining relatives. To them she was the living memory of the dishonor their daughter had brought upon them." Meiran fell silent and watched the Chinese man beside her. 

Wu Fei ached for the little girl behind the window. "How can people be so cruel to their own flesh and blood?" He balled his hands into fists. "She didn't deserve this." 

"Of course she didn't. But this is already the past. It's too late to change." Meiran said soothingly. 

Wu Fei's shoulders slumped. "Take me home please." He whispered quietly. 

Meiran nodded. "As you wish." 

They vanished instantly and all what remained was a dark room and on the window glass was written in childish handwriting 'Merry Christmas, Sally!'. 

*** 

In two apartments, each at the other end of the city, reigned once again silence as two young man were deep asleep. But for how long? The hour of the ghosts wasn't over yet. 

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Well, that was the first chapter. How did you liked Sally's past? I for my part always imagined she would be one of the many children born in the time were the British government had Hong Kong as a colony. I mean her name sounds exactly like a lot of girls from there. I just made up another war... And if you were clever now you've realized that both Duo and Sally wish for a own real family. Well, let's hope Heero and Wu Fei understood it as well. Otherwise I pity Solo and Meiran. ^_^ 


	3. The Truth of the Present

**Ghosts of the Past**

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**Chapter 2: The Truth of the Present**

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"So you looser, giving up already?" The Chinese woman settled beside the young man laying on the roof. 

Solo waved with his hand. "What are you thinking about? I'm just relaxing a bit. If you ask me, something is wrong with that maniacs head." He swirled his finger beside his temple. 

"Be patient with him. It's not in his nature to actually do what's best for him. As far as I know from monitoring him he always puts others first or better whatever mission he's on." 

"Oh and poor Duo is his newest mission now or what." Solo asked jokingly. 

"Now don't make fun of Heero. Give him some credit. The guy invested his whole youth to gain peace. He deserves something good in his life." 

"And that's gotta be Duo?" Solo asked doubtfully. 

"Of course. Or are you stupid not to see how those two idiots dance around each other? Both too careful not to destroy their friendship and the happiness of the other. Stupid." 

"Hey. They are the good guys. Not everybody can be as selfish as you." 

Meiran kicked him in the side. "Watch your mouth, Solo. I only speak the truth." 

"Che. But without any tact." 

"They're not here to hear. So it's not a big deal. I have to go now and you better get your lazy ass back to Yuy's apartment. Our work is not done yet." 

"Yeah. Yeah." Solo sucked on his cigarette he had been smoking for the last part of the conversation. 

"I SAID GET GOING, YOU LAZY ASS!" 

"OUCH! Would you stop kicking me already?!" Solo yelled. 

"You deserve it and stop smoking. It stinks." Meiran stopped on the next rooftop to yell back. 

"Who cares?! I'm dead anyway it's not like I can die of lung cancer." 

But Meiran ignored him and disappeared. Solo only shrugged. "Stupid woman! Always wants to be right." Before vanishing as well. 

*** 

Heero woke with a start. Something was wrong. His bedroom was dark and only the moon light illuminated it sparely. His heart was hammering in his chest. What had he been dreaming about? And why was he feeling so sad? And what was it about Duo being in his dream? He shook his head. 

"If you start telling me now that all the stuff had been only a dream I'm gonna whack you over the head, Yuy." 

Heero's head snapped up. There on the end of his bed sat Solo smoking a cigarette and waving at him with a smirk on his lips. 

"Got ya, hm?!" 

"Hn." 

"Oh common now. Maybe Duo can figure out your 'hn' language code but not me so how about you move to a higher level and actually start talking. It's not that difficult." Solo looked slightly annoyed at him. 

"Put out the cigarette." Heero replied coldly. 

Solo frowned. "That weren't exactly the words I've been waiting for but well..." He stumped it out on his ragged jeans. 

Heero frowned at him. Catching the ex-pilots look Solo said. "I'm getting better him?! But it only works cuz it's a small object." 

He jumped off the bed. "So are you ready for another trip?" 

"What? I thought we were done. Anyway I need to sleep now. I've got to work tomorrow." With that Heero let himself drop back onto his pillow. 

"Che. Only Heero Yuy gives the excuse of having to work the next day when it's actually A HOLIDAY. Common man, can't you think of anything better to do? What are the other pilots doing?" 

Heero opened his eyes. 'Doesn't look like he's gonna disappear anytime soon. Well, maybe if I get over this quickly he'll leave me alone for the rest of the night.' 

"Quatre and Trowa celebrate together with Catherine and the rest of Quatre's family on L4 I think. Wu Fei? Well I'm not sure if he even acknowledges Christmas as a celebration." 

Here a grinning Solo interrupted. "Oh trust me he will. When my partner is done with him he will." 

Heero frowned. 'Does that mean Wu Fei is going through the same harassing than me? Well at least I'm not alone then.' 

"And what about Duo?" Solo asked curiously his eyes not leaving Heero's face. 

Heero sighed. "I don't know. I never asked him I just assumed he'd accept one of the many invitations he got. Why would he want to spend the day with me anyway?" 'Shit. The last bit wasn't supposed to be said out loud.' 

A loud smack could be heard. Heero glanced over to Solo who was smacking his hand repeatedly against his forehead and muttering under his breath. 

"You know you should stop that. It's destroying brain cells." 

Solo looked up. "Excuse me but you're the brainless idiot here. Did you ever consider the option that Duo might have thought that you would accept Relena's invitation like each year?" 

Heero sputtered. "What?... I've never... I've never even once spent Christmas Eve with her. You're out of your mind. Duo would know that." 

Solo rolled his eyes. "Oh really?! And how would he? Did you ever tell him what you were doing in the first way?" 

Heero thought about that. 'No. I've never told him. But then again he never asked or even told him what he had been doing.' 

Seeing the befuddled expression on Heero's face the thing was decided for Solo. "You see you need another trip. It will show you what you're missing out on. Common get up." 

The ex-pilot slowly got up. He wasn't really so sure he wanted to see how happy Duo was without him on one of the many parties he usually got invited to. 

But he didn't had any time to protest. They were gone as soon as he stepped beside Solo. 

*** 

Wu Fei lay awake in his bed. He hadn't been sleeping long after Meiran dropped him off in his bedroom. A small girl with blue eyes was following him in his dreams though whenever he wanted to look at her she hid behind a window covered in ice flowers. The black haired man sighed. He wished Meiran would come back and tell him what to do. She always knew how to take on things. He sat up on his bed. It wasn't so much a surprise that her ghost had shown up here in his apartment on Christmas Eve. Well maybe a bit. Rather that she had obviously followed every step in his life since she had died. 

Ghosts and spirits were deeply integrated in the old myths of the Chinese. Even for a scholar like Wu Fei they were part of his religion and in a way he was honored that Meiran came back to help him find his way. 

"And I'm honored to have been married to you." 

Wu Feis head shot up. There at the window Meiran stood again in that white Chinese dress with the lotus flowers in her hair. 

"Don't worry I can't read your mind you just talked out loud." She came closer. 

"Oh." Wu Fei lead out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "So can you help me be a worthy man for Sally?" He asked quietly. 

Meiran shook her head. "Oh Wu Fei I think you still didn't understand what this is all about. Love can't be measured in honor, money or virtues. It just happens. And if you decide you're not worthy for a woman like Sally you're hurting her as well. It's not always all about you men, you know." Wu Fei snorted but gave her a slight smile. 

"Common I want to show you something." 

He looked at her. "Another trip?" 

Meiran nodded. "Into the Past?" 

She smiled. "No not that far. You'll see." 

And they were gone in a flash. 

*** 

'Great just great. Exactly where I didn't want to be.' Heero noted with a hint of annoyance mingled with something like fear. They haven't gone back into the past this time. Actually they were only gone to the other side of the city. He knew most of the people here. They were colleagues from Preventers and somewhere here was Duo. Heero wasn't so sure he really wanted to see his partner having fun without him. 

But too late. 

There he was. Of course in the center of attention. Probably telling the others some stupid joke like they were laughing. Heero moved through the crowd to watch Duo closer leaving Solo behind who followed his every move. Duo had just excused himself from the crowd with a look to his watch. 

Heero knew it was around 12.30am now. Somehow Solo managed to manipulate the time with him waking up in his bed the last time. He followed Duo who was dressed in a black attire and the red shirt he had worn before. 

'Probably the only spot of color in all the black. Why does he only wear black and white anyway?' Heero wondered. Nobody had ever asked Duo after his preferred style of dressing and back in the war there were more important things to do and later on everybody had been used to see Duo in black. Heero began asking himself what at all he knew about the person he had fallen in love with somewhere along the way. 

He stepped after Duo into the empty bathroom and watched Duo close the door before opening the tab of the cold water. But the black clad man didn't move, he just stared into the mirror and for the first time Heero noted how tired Duo looked. He had often wondered where Duo took all the energy to entertain all the people. Heero had never thought it'd take a toll on his partner. But now he took a closer look. They were both still young but Duo's eyes looked so much older much alike his own he knew without a doubt. The braided man leant heavily onto the sink staring at his other self in the miror as if asking silent questions only Duo and his reflection could hear. How many secrets did it knew Heero didn't and maybe would never find out about? But before Heero could fall any deeper into thought Duo suddenly dipped his hands under the water and splashed it into his face. He quickly wiped it dry plastered a grin on his face and went in search of the self serving bar. He choose a bottle of liquor and vanished up the stairs. 

Heero stayed close behind and was quite surprised when not only Duo carefully walked out onto the roof but Solo happily greeted him from his spot where he lay sprawled out on all fours. Heero sent him a glare for good measure but the blonde haired man only shrugged. Duo sat unconsciously down beside Solo who sent a warm smile up to him even if the braided man couldn't see it. 

Heero watched the scene and sat on the other side of Duo. 'I have to remember asking him just how they had met.' Heero noted a bit enviously. Solo obviously felt very comfortable next to Duo unlike Heero who usually was a bit edgy when Duo got too close what happened quite often. 

Duo just sat there drinking from his bottle. To Heero it smelled horrible but Duo wasn't peeved by it and stared at the dark night sky as if searching for something. 

"What is he looking for?" Heero wondered after awhile noting with concern how quickly Duo seemed to empty the bottle with the heavy liquor. He hadn't known Duo could take stuff like that. 

Solo obviously caught him frowning at Duo. "Don't worry. He's not an alcoholic or something like that. It's just a remainder of living on the streets. He can take it." 

Heero stared him. "He's been quitting the streets even before he met up with us. You talk like it's a general thing to do as a street kid." 

Solo shrugged. "Not general. Sure real food is better but L2 was pretty cold in the winter cycle and food scarce. Alcohol was easy to get and in bits it takes your mind of things." 

Heero still looked clueless. Solo sighed. "Like hunger, cold and death. You get the picture?" 

The ex-pilot looked back to Duo. "And why is he drinking now? It's not necessary." 

Solo cast a look at Duo. "Oh now he's drinking for us." 

"And who's us?" Heero inquired after a moment when Solo didn't explained the matter any further. 

"The dead of course." 

Heero froze. 'The dead? What is going on here?' But before Heero could question Solo any further Duo started to speak. 

"Happy anniversary, Solo." 

Heero's eyes flew to the blonde man beside Duo. What was going on here? But Duo didn't stop there he continued wishing a happy anniversary to a lot of names none familiar to Heero's ears. Had they been his friends? But they couldn't ... couldn't all be dead, could they?! Heero looked horrified at Duo's somber face who didn't appear to be the least bit drunk. For each name he took a swig from the bottle until the last two. 

"Happy anniversary Father Maxwell. Happy anniversary Sister Helen." Heero stared at Duo when he took the last swig and then threw the bottle of the house. It crashed with a loud noise on the sidewalk but nobody seemed to hear it. 

"Who are those people? And why is he carrying his name?" 

"Yuy, why don't you start using your oh so high prized brain for a change." 

Heero scowled at him in return. "Sorry but Duo's brain is wired in a way I cannot always understand and I'm probably the closest to him. Alive." He added Solo's pointed look. "He named himself Duo to remember you, didn't he?!" 

Solo looked at him for a moment then he grinned and looked back up at the sky. "So you do have a brain after all." 

Heero glared at him again but obviously Solo was as immune to them as Duo. He sighed. "Are you going to tell me where you'd met?" 

Solo gave him a grin. "Nope." 

"What about the other names?" 

"Nope." 

"Why?" Heero asked frustrated. 

"Simple. If you want to know you have to ask Duo." 

Heero looked at the young man beside him. "He was trying to find L2, wasn't he?!" 

"Wow, you're getting closer." 

"Stop mocking me." 

Solo glanced over to the dark brown haired man before saying. "He tried but he couldn't. You can't see L2 from Brüssel. Though that doesn't keep him from trying to find it next year again." 

Heero looked sadly at Duo. "So that's what you're doing each Christmas. No wonder you're not telling me what you have been doing." 

Solo snorted. "You know he probably would if you would simply show some interest in him and his life. If you'd just put in a bit of effort and stop pitying yourself you could actually be a part of his life." 

"I do not pity myself." Heero's temper flared up. 

"Yeah but you have one hell of an ego problem. As soon as you can't safe the world anymore you feel not needed and esteem yourself unworthy of being the recipient of someone's love. Or better Duo's love." 

Heero was up in a flash. "What are you talking about?" 

"I said Duo's love like Duo is in love with you." 

For a moment Heero's brain shut down. 'Duoisinlovewithme?' Then the anger bubbled up. "Take that back. Don't lie to me. Duo is my friend. Maybe not everything is as fine as it seemed with him but that doesn't give you the right to make fun of me. Don't toy with me or you will regret it." Heero's chest heaved with anger. No one is making fun of him and Duo. 

Solo slowly got up and looked Heero over. "You know, you're damn scared, man. Scared of admitting to your best friend that you fell in love with him and to be rejected. Really too bad. And all you do in the end is making Duo and yourself unhappy. I really had thought you were cleverer than that." 

That toped it off. With a yell Heero pulled back his fist and attempted to smash it into Solo's face. But he hadn't on counted that Solo was a ghost. Like that he swished right through him and with a scream he fell off the roof. The earth came closer and closer and the only thing he heard was Solo's voice in his ear. "Okay. Definitely maniac." Before the world went black. 

*** 

"Her apartment?" Wu Fei recognized the place instantly. "But..." 

Meiran motioned to him to be quiet and follow her. They stopped in the living room where Sally was talking with somebody on the vid phone. 

Wu Fei whispered to Meiran. "But I thought she was at the Christmas party. Why is she here?" 

Meiran rolled her eyes and mouthed to him to 'Shut up.' where in return Wu Fei sent her a scowl. Sally had her back to them and was quietly listening to an old woman. She held herself erect, eyes downcast. 

"You are a disgrace to our clan. Not only a working woman but no a doctor you had to be. Not that it hadn't been bad already with you running away from home and joining rebel groups no you had to join the army also. And now, what are you now? An old unmarried woman. Who would want to marry you now? Not that you ever had a chance to find a man with your looks in the first way. You are a disgrace to your ancestors." The old woman spat at her. 

Wu Fei followed the rather one sided conversation first astonished than more and more angrily. What was going on here? That wasn't at all the Sally he knew. His Sally was courageous and always spoke her mind. She didn't take shit from anybody. Sally was proud like him. Who was that quiet obedient woman in front of him. It wasn't his Sally. Not the woman he thought he knew. 

Meiran watched Wu Fei carefully. Finally he asked. "Did you knew about this?" 

"Yes and no. I only followed your path but what Sally is facing now happens to every Chinese woman of the old clans who disobey the family. She has no protection and sooner or later she has to face the consequences for her actions." 

Wu Fei tore his eyes away from Sally to Meiran. "What do you mean? She's far away from China. They have no power over her." 

Meiran shook her head. "Do you remember when we discussed our marriage?" 

Wu Fei frowned at the old memory. 

"I wasn't happy with arrangement neither were you. But I was the daughter of one of the five high clans. You don't know what it means to disobey the family." She turned away from him. "I agreed to marry you but I was still an outcast driven out of the community of the women by my own dream to be a warrior to defend my home." 

Wu Fei stared at her. He hadn't known. And still didn't know a lot of things apparently. But still how could he help Sally? It wasn't in his power to change things. He shook his head. He hadn't counted on Meiran though who had been watching him. 

"You idiot! How can someone be so dumb? You are really getting on my nerves with that bullshit of honor and unworthiness and whatever else is blinding your macho brain." 

Wu Fei gaped at her. Then he came out of his stupor. "Woman, you have no right to speak to me like that. You may be dead but-" 

"But what? I can still speak my mind when I see it fit. Sally realized her dream knowing she would have to face the consequences one day for crossing her family. She sacrificed everything to become who she is today. The woman you fell in love with. Don't you dare open your mouth now! Who are you to deny her happiness?" 

"But I don't. I would do everything to make her happy. Why can't you understand that, Meiran. I failed you but I won't fail her." 

Meiran only shook her head. "You fool. You're on the best way to throw away your own happiness and hers as well and whoever said you failed me?" She whispered disappointment clearly audible in her voice. Without another word she disappeared leaving Wu Fei behind. 

"Wait where are you going?" 

But Meiran was gone. 

Wu Fei turned to look at Sally who had turned off the vid phone and was walking like a robot over to the bathroom. Wu Fei stopped in the door frame watching her. She opened the water and washed her face and then stopped to look into the mirror. Wu Fei wondered. What did she see? He was yanked out of his thoughts violently at the creaking noise of breaking glass. 

Sally had smashed the mirror with her fist. The Chinese gaped at her. He had never seen Sally out of control and it was freaking him out. 

"Woman are you of your mind?" He yelled at her totally forgetting that she couldn't hear him. Blood was running over Sally's knuckles but she didn't seem to notice. The blonde woman stared intently at her cracked reflection. 

Wu Fei ran his fingers through his loose hair. Sally was scaring him and he didn't know what to do. 

"And what do you think now? Do you still think everything is oh so perfect in her life? That she's so happy with herself?" Meiran had appeared next to Sally and Wu Fei in the cracked mirror. Her words brutally frank began to nag at his heart. That wasn't what he thought it was about, was it?! But the longer he watched Sally the more obvious it became. The cruel words of the old woman had found nourishment. He could see the doubt in Sally's blue eyes. Doubts in her looks, her worth, her life. 

Wu Fei shook his head. "This is crazy." 

Meiran snorted. "What did you thought? Sally is a woman. Of course she wants to be pretty for you. And that stupid old hag is feeding her lies in those she will believe in sooner or later." 

"God this is so stupid. Sally is beautiful as she is." Wu Fei pulled at his hair frustration. Why did women had to be so damn difficult all the time? 

"Typical man, how can she know that if you never tell her? You know what I think you're coward." 

Wu Fei shot around face to face with Meiran. Anger was written on his face. "Take that back. I'm no coward. You take that back right now." 

Meiran looked at him coldly. "You will have to prove it to me." 

"I will. I goddamn will." 

The black haired woman. "So be it." 

And they both vanished once again in a glow of red light. 

*** 

In two apartments, each at the other end of the city, reigned once again silence as one unconscious and the other in silent rage were battling with their dreams, insecurities and hopes. But who knows? Maybe it's not too late yet. After all the witching hour lasts from midnight to one o'clock... 

***************** 

I came to like Solo and Meiran. How about you guys? Merry Christmas by the way. 


	4. A Look into the Future

Chapter 3 : A Look into the Future 

"Pick up the phone." 

"No." 

"I'm telling you to pick up the phone like you promised me." The voice became slightly annoyed. 

"I didn't promise you anything like that." Came the cool reply. 

"Chang Wu Fei. Be a man and pick up the damn phone!" Meiran finally ran out of patience and yelled at the stubborn young man sitting scowling on his bed. 

"Shut up woman. Are you out of your mind? Thinking I'd call her in the middle of the night? Forget it." 

Meiran stopped pacing and put her hands on her hips. "Listen up, until you get your ass in gear everything will be too late. You will loose her and you will die an old loonly death." She told him with all the seriousness she could muster and disappeared into thin air. 

Wu Fei let himself fall onto his bed staring at the ceiling. "Stupid women. All you do is manipulate me. Until today Chang Wu Fei had made his own decisions and trust me it will stay like this." He promised quietly.

***

A thump next to him told him she had arrived finally. "You're late. What kept you so long?" He grumbled puffing a ring of smoke into the night. 

"What? Did you miss me?" 

Solo could hear the smile in her voice. "Stop teasing me. Sit down already." 

Meiran settled smiling beside him and then let out a long suffering sigh. 

"Didn't go that well, hm?" 

Meiran snorted. "He's as stubborn as a mule." 

"Welcome to the club. Yuy isn't any better. I don't know how Duo can stand him." He wondered. "Well where love falls…" 

"If he would just get over with his complex of being unworthy etc. I mean we're not in the Middle Age where he has to provide for the woman and hell Sally's past isn't that honorful either." 

"You're telling me. Yuy obviously thinks Duo doesn't need him. He's afraid to destroy their happy lives, their friendship or whatever else is going on in that stubborn head of his." 

"Why can't they just listen to us? I mean we're ghost and have been watching over them for an eternity we should know what the four feel." 

Sigh. 

"I mean can't they simply listen to what their heart wants?" 

A laugh. "Or what their body wants?" 

"Solo!" 

"Ouch! What?!" 

"That was inappropriate." 

"So? They are men. And I'm sure Sally-" 

Smack. Thump. 

"Hey, watch it. I almost fell off the roof." 

"Yeah, almost." 

Solo grumbled and climbed back up to sit next to Meiran. 

"We have to do something. We have only one time jump left." 

Silence. 

"I know." Solo suddenly turned to grin at her. 

Meiran frowned. 'Who knows what now had sprouted in his crazy mind?' 

"We'll switch." 

"We'll what?" 

Solo shook his had impatiently. "I said we'll switch. Meaning I'm paying Wuffers a visit and you Yuy. And then-" 

Whack. 

"Ouch!" Solo rubbed his head. 

"Idiot. We can't just change our positions. It's not allowed. We have each our own missions and I will complete mine. Besides I won't let you mess with Wu Fei's destiny." 

Solo looked hurt. "Are you implying that I don't care about what happens to Duo and Yuy? Of course I want them to be happy. But nothing had worked so far. I mean Wu Fei decided not to call Sally and Yuy tried to punch me. Very successful aren't we?" 

"How do you know I wanted Wu Fei to call her?" 

Solo shrugged. "I have my ways." 

Meiran looked at her feet before glancing cautiosly at the now calm looking Solo. 

"And he really tried to hit you?" 

Solo gave her a smile. "Nah. He tried but well he choose to throw himself of the roof instead." 

Meiran blinked. "He did what?" 

"I told you he's a maniac." They both fell into silence until… 

"Oh my god." Meiran turned to Solo starting to shake him. "Oh my god. I have an idea." She clapped into her hands and looked at the perplexed Solo. "Listen up. I have a great idea." 

"Which will be?" 

"Back-up." 

"S'cuse me?" 

"I said we're getting back-up, dummy. It's so logical. We're supposed to fulfil our missions independent from each other but nobody said anything about further interference. Meaning we can ask someone else to help us with those two idiots. And I just know who to ask. Follow me." 

With a flash she vanished followed by groaning Solo.

***

His eyes flew open in alarm. Where was he? Heero sat up and looked wildly around him and let out a relieved sigh as he realized he was in his apartment. He let himself fall backwards on his bed rubbing his tired eyes. The last thing he remembered was falling off the roof though luckily he never hit the ground. 

"Damn if that Solo guy shows up here one more time I'm going to rip of his head." He grumbled. 

"But this isn't a very nice thing to do. Even if he is dead and probably won't feel a thing." A young voice said with utmost sincerity. 

Heero stilled. 'Christ, don't tell me that baka brought back-up. Well, nothing could be worse than that idiot.' He groaned mentally. Sitting up his gaze fell on the chair opposite of his bed. There were he usually left his clothes. 

'No way. No way. I'm dreaming. God, someone please wake me up.' His heart was beating painfully in his chest at the sight before him. Solo hadn't just brought anybody from the past. He had gotten someone from _his_ past. 

Heero stared transfixed on the small figure on the chair slowly pushing himself away from her. 

"Don't be scared Heero." She put her head to the side smiling at him from under her bangs. "You accepted Solo without a problem why so shy around me?" She jumped of the chair. 

"Don't. Don't come closer." Heero could hear the underlined panic in his own voice. It was as if his worst nightmare had materilized in front of him. In form of a small girl with a nice summerdress and a puppy- wait. 

"Where is your puppy?" Heero asked confused. In his nighmares she always came with her puppy to torture him. 

The girl laughed. "Oh silly Heero. He's still a small pup. It's late so I left him home to have a good night sleep of course." 

Heero could only nod dumbly. 

The girl stood now at the end of his bed looking at him intently. "Say Heero, you don't hate me do you?" 

"What? I…" He didn't know what to say. Ever since he had accidently killed the girl and her puppy she haunted him in his dreams leaving him with a heavy heart of guilt and pain. But hating her? No, nothing had been her fault. Only his and now he simply had to live with the consequenses. 

Heero shook his head. "No, I don't hate you. Though you make me feel a bit unconfortable." He admitted hesitating. 

The girl nodded. "That's quite normal. But you see you shouldn't really worry about me and my little puppy. We're both veeeery happy in our new home and all you manage to do with regretting things you already did is overlooking all the nice things you can have now. That's pretty silly of you if you ask me." 

Heero slowly nodded still too stunned to question her. 

"Anyway, Solo told me we don't have much time left so let's go." 

That got Heero's attention. "What where?" 

"Well to the future of course. Didn't you ever read "A Christmas carol"?" 

Heero shook his head. 

"No? Everybody knows that story." She shook her head exasperated. "The third and last time the ghost and Scrooge go to the future. So hurry up already and come!" She stomped over and took Heero's hand in hers. 

"Wait. Wait. Where did Solo go?" 

"Solo? Oh, he said he wants to pay his little brother a visit. Common now, we need to change Scrooge's mind so everything will be just fine tomorrow morning." 

With that and Heero still wondering just who the hell that Scrooge person was they both vanished in a flash of soft yellow light.

***

His vision got blurry and he angrily wiped at his eyes. Warriors didn't cry. He didn't need that woman laughing about him. He snorted. Ten years and he still needed to prove himself to her. 

'Damn. I hope she stays where ever she went to.' He decided he had seen enough for tonight and it was his life after all. He could very well decide for himself. He wasn't one to be pushed around. 

"Those are all very reasonable thoughts but in the end it will be you who'll end up short." 

In a flash Wu Fei was up and searched for the oh so familiar voice he hadn't heard since the Eve wars ended and well he had died. 

"Over here, dragon warrior." 

Wu Fei turned and froze. There as if to his best times stood Treize Kushrenada with a light smile on his lips at seeing the dumbfounded expression on his once personal enemie's face. 

"As I heard you're still as stubborn as ever as I might state. Since I owe you my own personal freedom I expressed my wish to aid you a bit in seeing what has to be done. Namely facing the unavoidable. Sally Po. If you don't intend on loosing her. Which would be pretty stupid. She is a great woman." Treize nodded and pushed himself of the window sill he had been leaning against. 

Wu Fei stared unbelievingly at the tall man in front of him. He had learnt a great deal through this man and it was Treize who had put him through a lot of suffering through the war. It was better to be on guard. Meiran had to think of him as incurable if she went to great lengths like that. 

"I think I know myself what is good for me. If that is all you wanted you can go now. And tell Meiran not to bother in coming back. I think she has done enough for tonight." 

Treize fixed with a cool expression. "Why so arrogant Wu Fei? If you keep up this attitude you will indeed be the last of your clan. Didn't you learn anything in the war?" 

"What are you talking about? You were the enemy and I fought you. It was my task to bring justice to my people and I fulfilled it." 

"Yes, you did. But what about you?" 

The two man were facing each other. Wu Fei was more or less glaring at the ghost in front of him. 

"Were is the justice in throwing your life away? Denying your own dreams and wishes. I thought you were no fool." 

Wu Fei was silent. Then he spoke silently. "My father once told me a husband has to love, protect and care for his wife. If he fails to offer her this then he is not worthy of being her husband." 

Treize regarded him carefully. 

"I already failed once, Treize. I couldn't bear it to fail Sally too." The Chinese turned and walked over to his bed where he sat down with a heavy sigh. 

"So you're saying that your own fear is keeping you away from Sally?" 

Wu Fei looked up at Treize. Fear? Wasn't it his honor, his ancestors, his whole upbringing that kept them apart? Or had he only been hiding behind excuses to not face the truth. A dragon warrior knows no fear, his father had told him. He clutched his aching head in his hands. 

Treize shook slowly his head with sorrow. "You and Sally are so much alike. Both victims of those who brought you up. But you really shouldn't let the past keep you from what you want to do." 

Wu Fei looked up. Treize wandered back to the window. "A long time ago one of my mentors had told me this: 'Remember the Past, Live in the Present, Dream of the Future and Treasure every Moment inbetween.' It's true actually though I realized this much too late. I'm telling you if you don't act now it will be too late for your future. I can show you if you don't believe me." 

Both looked at each other for a long time until Wu Fei stood wordlessly up joining Treize at the window. The dark haired young man looked up in determination. "Then show me." 

Treize nodded and they both vanished in a blinding white light.

***

"Fuck, where are we?" Heero struggled to keep his balance and not to tumble down the scyscraper. 

"You shouldn't use words like this. That word is a BAD word." The little girl reprimanded him. 

Heero nodded dumbly. "What are we doing here? Is this the future?" He looked around. The city below him looked like Bruessel though it looked a lot more modern and even more busy than in his time. 

"Yup. That's the future but we're not supposed to snoop around here." She walked closer to edge being watched carefully by Heero. Then she pointed to the scyscraper on the opposite side. "See that building?" 

Heero nodded. "This is the National Bank. It's the most secure building besides Preventer HQ. Not only the biggest fortunes are in there in form of money but also interesting bits of data of military importance." 

Heero nodded. "Okay. But what does this have to do with Duo?" 

"You'll see. Come on we go in." 

They both vanished once again in yellow light until they stood only seconds later in a long hallway. From the distance they could hear shouting and shooting. Instantly Heero's hand shot to the place where he usually kept his gun. To his dismay he discovered that it was of course still in his appartment. 

'Damn it.' "Is Duo in trouble? Is the building under attack?" 'God, what if this leads to another war. She said they keep crucial information here.' Heero sprinted down the hallway not waiting for an answer. As he rounded the corner he saw Duo crouching behind an open door being under fire from men in black clad fighting gear. 

Heero scanned his one time war partner. Besides a few cuts and scrapes he seemed fine though Heero had learned the hard way that the black clothing disguised bleeding wounds very good. 

'Though why is he wearing all black again? He stopped doing that after the war well besides one or two black accessoires.' Heero frowned. Right now Duo was talking to someone over his small com in his ear. Then he through a gas bomb in the direction of his enemies which sent them scrambling. Duo jumped up and stormed by Heero and the girl running to the elevator. 

'What is he doing? He'll be trapped in there.' Heero could already hear nearing footsteps and saw with rising panic as his partner jumped into the elevator. Looking at the girl he said urgently. "We have to do something. If they corner him he has no chance." 

He ran after Duo into the elevator but to his surprise it was empty. "What the hell…?" 

Someone tagged on his sleeve. The girl pointed upwards. "There look. He's pulling him upwards with that tool." 

Heero followed her pointing. Duo was almost all the way up. 'Still as agile as ever.' "Can you get us on the roof, too?" 

"Sure." They vanished in a flash and reappeared on the roof. Heero looked around. "Where is he?" 

A door banged open behind him revealing a slightly swaying Duo. The black clad man breathed heavily for a moment but straightened himself up and walked determined over to the edge searching the roof top with his eyes. 

Heero frowned. Something seemed wrong suddenly. He hadn't even thought once about it before but why would Duo run up to the roof all by himself? If he wanted to trap them he couldn't do it alone in this state. He seemed far worse off that he had thought in the darker corridor. 

Where was his back up? Preventers wouldn't send a man in all alone. Duo was his partner. So where the hell was his alter ego? Heero looked confused around. The feeling in his stomach got worse. Something was very wrong here. He looked at the little girl who had sat herself on a box a bit away from Heero and Duo singing softly to herself. Heero looked back to Duo who was mumbling to himself. He walked closer. 

"Where is he? Where the fuck is that idiot?" Duo muttered under his breath. 

Heero looked at Duo's future self. He still had the long braid and his athlete form though were once had been smooth skin were now tiny lines of worry, dark circles under his eyes and a straight hard line for the once smiling mouth. 

'Did his job do that to him?' Heero wondered. But before he could analyze this Duo any further the door behind them flew once again open with a bang. Heero and Duo flew around at the same time. A gun pointed straight at Duo and all the black clad teen did was to smile at his opponent. But the smile chilled him to the bone and his own blood froze as he saw just who pointed the gun at Duo's heart. 

He himself. 

Heero's thoughts crashed as everything fall into place at once. Duo's weird behavior, the lacking back up, the organized troop of attackers. 

Duo had been breaking into the bank and was now waiting for his partners in crime to pick him up only that his alter ego got to him first. 

Heero closed his eyes. 'This can't be happening. Why would Duo change the sides?' He forced his eyes open again as the the other Heero began to talk. 

"Damn it Duo. That was the last time you got away with stuff like that. I won't let you start another war." 

His voice shook with was probably surpressed rage the younger Heero mused. 'Duo plotting against the government? He hated the war like the others. Why would he want to start another one?' 

Duo scowled at Heero's alter ego. "Are you blind or just stupid? Open your eyes man and face it. This world is just as corrupt as it was before. Nothing has changed. The goddamn politicians live of our money while the poor starve on the streets." 

"Duo. That's bullshit. You exegarate and you just can't change the fact that there will always be poor and rich people. That's how it is." 

"Fuck you. Accepting that means giving up and I don't give up on my people. I went out to fight for L2 during the war to give them a better life and they had had time enough now. I want results but all they do is talk and offer cheap excuses." 

Heero could see the rage burning in the dark eyes of the man beside him. He knew some of the stories Duo had told him during the war and he had done as well some research. He could understand Duo but if he could why couldn't his alter ego? 

But Duo wasn't done yet he continued to yell at the older Heero. "If you would just get your ass out of the cozy palace of your princess for a change you would know what's going on. You don't even have to go to L2 it's enough if you cross the city and take a look at the slums. But of course if you live in a nice home with tons of servants and each day enough to eat you don't think about what others have or rather NOT have." Duo was shaking beside him with raw anger. 

Behind Heero Preventer forces came out of the door positioning themselves around them. 

'No. No. No. What is happening here?' The younger Heero looked helplessly over to the little girl. "Can't you do something? The situation is going to escalate. My older self will never manage to calm Duo down with this attitude." 

But the girl only shrugged. "This is the future as it is. I don't have the power to intervene." 

Heero looked back at Duo and from Duo to the other Heero. 

"They won't come you know." Heero just said. 

Duo looked at him with mistrust. 

The team leader winked for a man beside him. Heero took the offered radio and switched it on. 

{Today at noon the Preventer squad 01 shot down a helicopter of the type xxx belonging to the terrorist organization xy. No survivors.} 

Heero switched the radio off again giving it back to his collegue. Still signialing them not to shoot he faced a stone faced Duo. 

"You see all chance on escape is gone. Surrender and I promise you a fair trial." Heero came closer. 

Duo let his head hang. His long uncut bangs covered his face so the older Heero couldn't see the cold smirk on his face. 

Heero had the nagging feeling that Duo hadn't the slightest intention of going with the squad leader. 

"You know Heero I know one can't always win." Duo's voice was bitter now. "What do I say? Usually I only loose. I lost my family, my friends, my belief and my love." He looked up at Heero now who only stood a few feet away and threw the gun he had been holding all the time at his feet. "I guess it wasn't meant to be. I wasn't meant to be." 

Heero looked confused at Duo. "What are you talking about baka? You may have lost Solo and the others but Quatre, Trowa, Wu Fei and I are still you're friends. Your family. Why did you left us?" Heero asked Duo in return. "Weren't we enough for you?" 

Duo glared at Heero. "Fuck you, Yuy. Stop sweet talking everything. Where were you and my so called friends when I needed you most? You only turned to give me some attention when I did something unconvienant. Disturbing your nice comfortable life. And now you came to put me back into my place, didn't you?!" 

Heero winced as well as his older self at the amount of hate and hurt audible in Duo's upset voice. The braided man laughed a hollow laugh beside him staggering backwards. "I won't come with you Heero. I think you know that as well as I do. Nobody catches Shinigami." He climbed backwards onto the railing lifting himself up slowly. 

Heero's older ego looked slightly panicked now Heero noted with an own amount of uneasiness. Duo had often pulled off a lot of stupid stunts but usually got always out alive and in one piece. But if he fell of the scyscraper there would be no doubt of the result. His stomach clenched nervously hoping his older self would move to rescue his baka from his own stupidity. He himself had it done often enough. 

'What is he waiting for? Pull him off that railing already.' Heero heard his older self still arguing with Duo when he suddenly froze. Duo's upset face looked suddely calm with a surprised expression on his face. The black clad man looked down on himself and touched carefully his chest. His fingertips came off tinted in blood he stared at unbelievingly before he let out a small laugh. 

Heero stood frozen seeing the wind ruffling his first love's hair as the blood slowly trickled down Duo's mouth. His own blood pounded in his ears as Duo started to sway. He could hear the other Heero yelling to stop firing. He hadn't ever heard himself with so much anguish in his own voice. 

Duo struggled to breath and obviously forced himself to speak. "Looks like we weren't meant to be, Heero." Duo smiled at the other him who looked scared like a little boy Heero noted. 

Out of control. 

That's was what was happening. His love was going to die and he couldn't do anything to prevent it. 

The future was his death. 

Duo was going to die. 

"Shinigami's last flight." Duo closed his eyes and pushed himself backwards off the railing. 

"Noooooooooooooo." 

The last thing he remembered were the anguished screams. He just didn't know if it was him or his alter ego who kept screaming for Duo before everything went black. 

Duo was dead.

***

"A wedding? Why did you bring me to a wedding?" Wu Fei wandered down the temple. "And traditional Chinese for that?" He made a sound of appreciation through his teeth at the set up. 

Treize was a few feet behind him. "Let's watch from over there. He pointed to a big statue where he leant himself against. 

Wu Fei copied him. "So who's getting married?" 

Treize gave him a knowing smile. "Patience. You will see." 

"Jesus. All this secretive shit all the time." Wu Fei muttered annoyed under his breath. But he didn't had to wait long. A priest had entered the temple shanting the religious prayers for the to be married couple. Behind him came the bride and the groom. Both clad in traditional costumes and the bride had put up her black hair in a high style. 

Wu Fei shrugged. "Sorry. But I still don't know who's that supposed to be. I thought we're going to take a look at Sally's future?" 

Treize sent him a calculated glare. "We are. Open your eyes and see." He said pointingly. 

Wu Fei growled something about impolite ghosts but did as Treize said. Actually he did recognize someone. 

Noin. Sally's longtime friend from the war. Hell, those two always managed to annoy him somehow. So what was she doing here? He didn't know Noin had friends in China. He stood beside her. 

'Hm, she doesn't look happy at all. I always thought one is supposed to be happy at marriages. Well, besides it's your own and you don't want to get married.' He rolled his eyes in a very uncharacteristic manner. 

"I'm so sorry, Sally." Noin suddenly sniffed beside him. 

He whipped his head around staring at the teary eyes who followed every move of the bride who was currently following the priests instructions. 

Wu Fei narrowed his eyes. "Just who is the bride? And why is Noin talking about Sally? She isn't even here." The Chinese watched again the bride and the groom from his position. Somehow though the movements and the posture of the bride seemed oddly familiar. 

Wu Fei frowned. 'Maybe someone from Headquaters?' The Chinese never really payed attention to others besides the people he had know from the war. He felt more at ease around his friends than some newbies and secretaries anyway. Wu Fei slowly walked up to the pair. 

Treize obviously was absolutely transfixed on the bride. Wu Fei scowled. He'll figure out what's going on here soon enough. He stalked up to bride and scanned her features. 

'Definetely Chinese. Black hair, blue eyes, pale features … waitasec.' Wu Fei's brain came to a screeching halt. 'Blue eyes?' His gaze flew up to the eyes. 

'Sally.' His breathing stocked. "What the fuck is going on here? Why is she here?" 

"Obviously to get married." Treize deadpanned. 

Wu Fei ignored him. 'She's getting married? But…' 

Treize was standing now beside him. He flicked his gaze over Sally. "Nice get up, or?! They even died her hair pitch black. She'll probably never get her originally color back. Though that probably was their intention." He pointed over to an old haggard woman and an old man who seemed very self satisfied. 

Wu Fei glared at them but unfortunately nobody could hear, feel or see him. "Are those her relatives?" 

Treize nodded. "Yes. They're actually making a good deal. They're getting rid of an unwanted unobidient child and in return they get connections with one of the wealthiest clan's residing in China. 

Wu Fei snorted. "Wealth. Where I came from virtues like honor were more worth than any wordly posession." 

Treize smiled at that. 

Wu Fei studied Sally's face again. She didn't seem to be there at all. Her face was expressionless and she just did as she was told to. Like a doll. 'Hell, she even looks like a doll.' Wu Fei noted furiously. What had happened to the woman he knew? 

"She gave up you know." Treize answered his silent question. "After years of fruitless waiting for you she finally broke under the pressure of her family and gave in." Treize shook his head sadly. "A human can take only so much. And Sally definitely had enough of life." 

Wu Fei stared horrofied at the face in front of her. "What are you saying? Sally wouldn't do that. She's strong. She wouldn't simply give in just because she couldn't have the life she wanted. She would have fought for it. This is a lie." 

"Face it Wu Fei. She only wanted you but you let her wait forever until it was too late." 

"But this is stupid. She could have had any man she wanted to." Wu Fei exclaimed helplessly. 

Treize looked at him hard. "Love isn't about choosing. It just happens. She didn't fell in love with just any man, she fell in love with you. If you can't accept that you will have to realize one day that the woman you love will marry someone else while you sit lonely in your apartment and once you realize what she meant to you it will be too late." Treize finished with conviction. 

Wu Fei shook his head. This all couldn't be happening. 

Sally wouldn't marry someone else. 

The priest spoke a prayer. 

Sally wouldn't leave him. 

Bride and groom turned to each other. 

Sally wouldn't want to be with someone else. 

Bride and groom kissed. 

Wu Fei screamed in horror and realization.

***

The bell tower annonced one o'clock as in two rooms across the city two man awakened screaming.

*****************

Yeah yeah, I know I'm pretty behind with the story. Sorry. But now only the epilogue is missing. Let me know what you want for an ending. Any ideas???


	5. Epilogue

Epilogue 

Solo flipped the rest of his cigarette off the roof top turning to the three figures beside him. "So did they bought it?" 

Treize smiled and nodded. "If they're not running now they're hopeless." 

The small girl sighed. "It was so sad." She sniffled. Reaching for Treize' hand she leant against him. "Can we go home now? I miss my puppy." 

Meiran crouched beside the girl. "Yes, of course." She kissed the girl on the forehead. "Thank you for your help." 

The small girl smiled and shrugged. "It's okay. I like Heero. I want him to be happy." 

Solo jumped fist raised into the hair. "Yeah. Com'on Meiran. Let them go and let's watch the spectacle unfold itself down there." The blonde boy practically grinned from one ear to the other. 

Meiran sighed and turned to Solo. "I've never thought you're a sucker for happy endings." 

Solo stopped bouncing and pouted. "Hey, it's not like it's a bad thing to have things work out once in awhile." 

Meiran only shrugged and jumped off to the next roof top. "Stop pouting already and get your ass in gear." 

The blonde let his head hung low in defeat. "Gah, women nowadays." Before jumping after her to catch up.

*********

Heero woke up screaming on his crumpled sheets. With an effort he managed to clamp his hands over his disobeying mouth muffling the sound and kept his eyes tightly shut. After several seconds what seemed like an eternity to Heero the after effects of the dream wear off. His heart pounded in his chest feeling like it would burst and his hands were balled in fists clutching at the sweat soaked sheets. Thoughts raced through his head but the longer he lay in silence the quieter and clearer the mess in his head became until a single thought remained. 

'It's my choice.' 

With a ruck he sat up threw over some cloths and left his appartment in a run. Heero had always thought that out of the five pilots he knew Duo the best but after the three visions he had to admit he only scratched the surface. He never ever got a glimpse on what lay beneath and now Solo and the girl had showed him. And frankly it scared him shitless but if something of all the ranting he had to indure that night was true he still had a chance. Heero might be unbelievably thick when it came to Duo and his own feelings but he vowed silently that he wouldn't disappoint his partner tonight. Nor Solo. Nor the little girl with her puppy. It was time to tie up loose ends. 

It didn't take Heero long to get to the house of his collegue. Though Solo had him teleported there before it was no trouble for Heero to find the place again. Some time ago Duo had him convinced – he still wondered how – to join the others for a drink after work and Heero had a very good orientation sense so that it was only a matter of minutes before he stopped in front of the house. He slammed his car door shut and automatically scanned the roof top where he had last seen Duo only some time ago. But nobody was up there or at least not visible from Heero's point of view. 

Well, there was only one way to find out if Duo was still up there – go up himself. Said and done. So a couple of minutes later Heero carefully made his way through an open window onto the roof with his heart lightly speeding up. But then he stopped. Heero didn't dare looking up and maybe only finding the empty roof. Somehow it felt that if he didn't fix things tonight he'll never get another chance to do it. And the thought of having to pretend for the rest of his life to be close but never close enough to Duo would slowly but surely kill him. But Heero Yuy was no coward. One had to fight for the things (or more appropiately persons) you want to win. He had it learned the hard way and there was no way he would turn around now when the truth was so near. 

Heero looked up. 

Looked up straight into startled indigo eyes. He didn't miss his chance. Duo was still there – yet. And Heero intended to keep it that way. The expressive eyes didn't leave him for a second. Staring at him as if the brain behind those dark eyes couldn't wrap itself around the fact just who stood in front of him. 

"Heero." The word was spoken softly, slightly unbelieving. The short haired man nodded and tentatively walked closer before settling beside his longhaired friend. Duo was still staring at him when Heero returned the look once seated beside him. 

Duo blinked. "What…what are you doing here? I mean…I mean aren't you supposed to be at the Sanc Palace?" Confusion was evident on the slightly pale face with the rosy cheeks reddened from the cool night air as well as from the alcohol. 

The corners of Heero's mouth quirked up in a small smile. "Let's just say some crazy maniac didn't rest until he shoved my idiocy straight into my face until I admitted defeat and got my stubborn ass up to do something about this. He's probably having a field day right now spying on how much I make a fool out of myself." 

Heero send a scowl skywards though he couldn't detect anyone suspicious spying on them. His eyes wandered back to find Duo looking at him as if he had just grown another head. The braided man opened his mouth and closed it again. Heero grinned at Duo playfully. Obviously he had just rendered the mighty Shinigami speechless. So far so good. 

Finally Duo managed to get the burning questions of his chest. "Why are you here Heero?" He asked hesitately. 

Heero quirked his head a bit to the side studying the somber expression on Duo's face. "You mean why I am here with you and not with Relena?" 

Something akin to hurt flashed in Duo's indigo eyes before it vanished as quickly as it appeared. The long haired man only nodded. As an answer Heero leant closer resting his left hand on the nape of his neck pulling him near to him. He was so close he could smell the faint frangrances of cinnamon. A smell he had always connected with Duo. 

Softly Heero whispered into Duo's ear. "Because it was my choice to be with _you_ – and not with her." He let the longhaired man go and leant back on his hands staring up at the night sky full knowing Duo was staring probably open mouthed at him. Not missing a beat in his confession – before he lost his courage – he continued speaking convinced and utterly content about what he had realized tonight. 

"If I look at it right the choice wasn't even made today. I made it a long time ago. I just never admitted it to myself because I thought we never had a chance and then the war was over and you seemed even more far away." Heero turned to look at the silent figure beside him. Indigo eyes darker than usual in the pale face. And Heero spoke. "Relena never had a chance to begin with. Not during the war nor after. I've never spend Christmas with her. I only wished I could spend it with one person. Someone who I thought was so utterly out of reach that I began to hate Christmas and bury myself in work instead. Just so I wouldn't have to think about you all the time." His voice had turned painful and for the first time Heero realized how much his bottled up feelings really hurt him. How much pain it had caused him over the years. And not only him but also Duo who now cling to the front of his jacket silently crying angry tears about lost time and too much pain unsaid. 

Heero softly caressed the hair on top of Duo's head hugging the wiry frame of the younger man to give him the much needed comfort as much as to relieve his own pain. "I'm sorry, Duo. I'm so sorry." Heero planted a light kiss on Duo's head while the body in his arms continued to shake. He hold him even closer until Duo finally calmed down and searched his gaze. Tears were still running down his cheeks caused by his slightly intoxicated state and too much emotion. But all Heero saw was the smile playing on Duo's lips and mirroring in his eyes. 

"You really are in idiot, Yuy." 

Heero send him a mock scowl. 

Duo laughed and kissed his nose. "But I love you anyways." 

Before launching himself onto Heero so that both fall backwards onto the rooftop getting themselves completely soaked with snow. But nor Duo neither Heero cared since both were to busy declaring silently their love for each other.

*********

Wu Fei sat up so abruptly his world went spinning and he carefully cradled his pained head in his hands. In the back of his mind he could still hear her screaming. No wait it wasn't her who had been screaming. It was him. He had been screaming. But why? What had the last dream been about again? 

And suddenly Wu Fei knew. Sally was getting married and he never got a chance to tell her how much she meant to him. No, he couldn't let that happen. This night Wu Fei never got as quickly dressed and ready to leave in his life again. Not when they attacked L5. Not for an enemy attack during the wars. Not for any mission. Before he knew what happened Wu Fei found himself racing way over speed limit towards Sally's home. It wasn't far away but tonight it seemed like at the other end of the world. Not that it would have stopped him. Not tonight. 

When Wu Fei arrived he flew up the stairs to her appartment unable to wait for the elevator. The Chinese didn't even bothered to knock totally unlike himself instead he practically ran into Sally's unlocked appartment. Somewhere in his mind he noted that he would have to reprimand her for this carelessness later. What if he would have been some psycho killer? And then he saw her and all thoughts were forgotten and cold settled in his stomach. 

There sat a woman in the kitchen chair. Clad in the same bathrobe he had only seen a quarter hour ago in his dream. But the usually beautiful blonde curls were now smeared with red streaks. And the blue eyes were dark and seemed to be very far away not even registering that her fist was still bleeding from the selfinflicted wound. Wu Fei groaned at the sight. He knew something was very very wrong. Sally was a doctor and she'd never leave a wound uncared for. The Chinese forced himself to leave the blonde for a moment to go in search of a first aid kid. He feared if eventual glass shards stayed in the flesh any longer it might get infected. He returned with the small box a minute later into the kitchen were he pulled up a chair to sit himself beside Sally to clean up the wound. The dark haired man started to pull out the tiny glass splitters at first and even if he knew it must burn, Sally didn't seem to notice. When he began to disinfect the cuts though the blonde focosed more or less on him and whispered barely audible. "It hurts." 

Wu Fei hold it for a moment. Eyeing her carefully he said. "I know, Sally. I know." 

But she only shook her head. "No, you don't. You never understood." And Wu Fei didn't answer. Neither talked about the wound and Wu Fei knew deep down she was right. And he hated himself the more for it. When he finished patching up the fist he eyed her hair with a frown on his face. "What happened to your hair?" He reached out to touch it but she turned away. 

"Don't touch it." She said coldly.

Wu Fei stared at her confused. "Why not?" Sure it wasn't his right to go along touching her hair. He should mind his manners but- 

"It's dirty." Sally said with a hint of bitterness. 

"I can see that." He snorted softly. Suddenly Sally turned around to him and he could see the pain burning in them. The nagging in his gut got worse. 

"Why do you say that?" She glared at him spitefully. 

"Because…I…" Wu Fei sputtered helplessy while Sally got of her chair towering over him obviously very mad at him. 

"You." She spat. "You and your macho attitude. No matter what I do it'll be never good enough. They always point out my faults, my failures. Never do they see one good thing in me. I'm just the black sheep in the family and now they had it. It's time to get rid of it for good." Sally almost screamed at him. "And you. You're the worst of all." She pointed at him accusingly. "All those years and not once a word of kindness. And you were the only one who'd count. But no. Not for someone like me. Some mixed blood no less." She angrily pulled at her bloody curls. 

Wu Fei sat on his chair and gaped at her. Finally he got his tounge back in gear. "Is that what they tell you? That you're not good enough? Is that what you think as well?" He asked unbelievingly. "Do you think that you…I mean...you mean…YOU not being good enough for ME?" The Chinese man asked incredulously. 

Wu Fei couldn't believe it. All those years he though it was him who wasn't good enough for her and there the woman of his dreams harboured the same doubts as him. God, how was he stupid. Wu Fei groaned and shook his head. 'Meiran will have a field day. She'll tease me with that for eternity.' He looked back at Sally who had turned her back on him and walked over to the window. Wu Fei slowly got up and followed her. Coming to a stop behind her he carefully turned her around. Searching her gaze he said. 

"Actually it's me who's the unworthy one here. But since you were always a woman who would insist on equal rights I think I can live with sharing our stupity." He gave her a small smile and wound a curl around his index finger. Sally looked at him uncertainly but seemed willing to listen. Wu Fei took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for being an ass all those years. I'm sorry for never giving you the attention and credit you deserved. I'm sorry for always pushing you away." He smiled at her apologetically. "I've never realized what you wanted though if I think about it I obviously was the only one who didn't get it. Probably the whole headquarters have already given up on me." Wu Fei shrugged with a grin on his lips which Sally answered with a small insecure smile. 

"I have to admit I gave up as well tonight." She let her head hang. "I was weak and-" 

But Wu Fei stopped her. "Don't ever say that again. You're not a weak person. I think you're one of the strongest persons I've met. So don't ever think any less of you." He softly caresseed her cheek with one thumb. They both were silent for several minutes. Then Sally let out a heavy sigh. 

"Wu Fei?" 

"Hm?" 

"What are we doing now? I mean…" She fumbled for words. 

Wu Fei knowing what she wanted to say came for help. "You mean where are we to go from here?" Sally nodded. 

"Well, woman." He softly grasped her chin in his hand and smoothed her curls behind her ear to let her know it was not an insult. "I for my part would be very honored to be allowed to spend Christmas Eve with this beautiful woman in front of me. As well as all those who will follow." Not waiting for an answer he slowly lowered his head to hers leaving a featherlight kiss on her lips. Sally's blue eyes had grown wide. Tentively she touched her still tingling lips. 

"Wu Fei, I...I" She choked on her words and flung instead her arms around his neck. The dark haired Chinese caught her and hold her close and couldn't stop himself saying. "I take it you still want me then, baka onna?!" He could feel her laughing against his neck and suddenly the slight tingling where she had dropped a kiss on the exposed skin. "Of course, you idiot! What a question!" Together they made their way over to the living room intend on catching up on all the time they had lost.

****************

Far over the city on the snow covered roof tops two ghostly figures smacked their raised hands in a high five. 

"I knew it." The blonde jumped up to stand on an old chimney leaning down to his smaller compagnion. "I'm just too good." He let out another whooping of joy into the frosty winter night. 

The slender girl just rolled her eyes at him long used to his antics. "And very modest too I asume." She said sarcastically. 

"Well, of course, my beauty." Solo jumped beside her and drapped casually an arm around her shoulders. 

Meiran only scowled at him but didn't shrug him off. "Well at least we know that those four will be happy from now on. It's just really too bad I can't rub it in on Wu Fei. Of course I was right along. Stupid pig headed man." 

"Che. What a language for a tender woman like you?" Meiran choose to ignore that and instead turned to go. 

Solo as not to loose body contact kept in step beside her. "So with our love birds all happy and cared for how about we two lovely people go and have a drink? I mean we have so much time on our hands and we earned us some time off." 

Meiran let out a long suffering sigh. Then she turned to him. "Dream.On.Solo no Baka." With that she stomped off and vanished into thin air. 

Solo let out an amused laugh. "Ah, you just gotta laugh that woman." Before vanishing as well. 

In the distance the clock tower annonced the second hour and silence reigned over the snowcovered roof tops of Bruessel once more.

~end~

****************************************

Whaaa. That took long enough to finish that story. Wu Fei and Sally were very difficult to write. I liked most Solo and Meiran. Hope you had fun reading it even if Christmas is long over.


End file.
